Former Methodist Church of Kenya bishops are up in arms over the two-year term extension for presiding Bishop Joseph Ntombura.
Bishops Lawi Imathiu, Stephen Kanyaru and Zablon Nthamburi, who served the church between the 1970s to 2013, blamed Ntombura over alleged high-handedness and dictatorship.
They said a reconciliation meeting at the Kenya Methodist University main campus last week to find solutions to the leadership crisis failed.
Imathiu said the MCK has split since the reign of Ntombura, with some creating splinter conferences due to disagreements.
"There is no need for people fighting each other. The Nkubu Synod has left us, Mombasa Synod, Kilifi Synod have also taken their own path," Imathiu said.
"We don't hate anyone, Ntombura is our son too and as elders and former bishops, we can't allow the MCK to split. The church has many qualified sons and daughters to take up the responsibility."
He said Ntombura should have consulted all local churches before making the amendment to extend his term.
"We don't recognise Ntombura as our leader because it is against our constitution. We do not entertain mistakes and past wrongdoings," Imathiu said at a press briefing at Thiiri centre.
Ntombura has, however, disputed the claims, saying the 57th annual conference confirmed him for two more years at the helm of MCK.
"I am only serving for two years after the conference overwhelmingly elected me,” Ntombura said.
Kanyaru claimed that Ntombura does not have the qualifications to hold the office and 56 pastors have been fired under his tenure in the last nine years.
"Ntombura doesn't have the required certificates. I handed over to him despite his files being empty. We had no court cases before his tenure began but since he took over, we now have over 40 court cases," he said.
"He sacked learned ministers for questioning his leadership. He is ungrateful, yet I fully supported his bid for bishop," he said.
Kanyaru said Ntombura is the main cause of division in MCK and the running of the church is doomed if remains as the presiding bishop.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)
